Costco results offer insight into other warehouse-club retailers

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — With BJ's no longer reporting monthly sales, Costco is the only warehouse-club retailer left to give some insight regarding how Sam's Club performs on monthly basis. With Costco delivering positive comps for the month, it is safe to assume that Sam's and BJ's have garnered their fair share of the market.

Costco Wholesale reported net sales of $7.01 billion for the month of October, the four weeks ended Oct. 30, 2011, an increase of 11% from $6.3 billion during the similar four-week period last year.



Total comparable-club sales for the month were up 9%. U.S. comparable-store sales were up 9%, while international comps rose 8%. Excluding the impact of fuel and foreign currencies total comps rose 7%, U.S. comps rose 6% and international comps rose 9%.

For the first nine weeks of its reporting period ended October 30, 2011, the company reported net sales of $15.62 billion, an increase of 13% from $13.81 billion during the similar period last year.

Costco currently operates 595 warehouses, including 432 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 82 in Canada, 32 in Mexico, 22 in the United Kingdom, nine in Japan, eight in Taiwan, seven in Korea and three in Australia.